Control switch



Oct. l2, 1937. A. J. PETERSON 2,095,762

CONTROL SWITCH Original Filed May 16. 1951 2 S11ee"t.sI-Sheert l fgr WITNESSES; INVENTOR ///redfferja/z Patented Oct. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTROL l SWITCH Original application May 16, 1931, Serial No.

537,810, now Patent No. 1,982,321, dated N- vember 27, 1934.l Divided and this application March 29, 1934, Serial No. 717,971

Claims.

This is a division of my copending application Serial No. 537,810, filed May 16, 1931, now Patent No. 1,982,321, patented November 27, 1934.

My invention relates to control switches and 5 particularly to switches for controlling the operation of heavy-duty circuit breakers or other apparatus.

An object of my invention is to provide a control switch wherein the switch structure is supported upon a supporting plate that shall be secured to the front face of the switchboard panel, and that shall be provided with a displaceable cover yieldingly retained in operative position by the operating handle and may be displaced by rotating it about the operating shaft of the switch for exposing the means whereby the supporting plate is attached to the panel.

This and other objects of my invention, that will be made apparent throughout the further description thereof, are obtained. by means of the apparatus hereinafter described,` and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein,

' Figure 1 is a longitudinal section taken on the line I-I oiFig. 2, showing certain parts oi the control switch inside elevation.

Fig. Y2 is a bottom plan view of the control switch shown in Fig. 1, the bottom portion of the cover being removed.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the control switch shown in Fig. 1, the top portion of the cover being removed.

. Fig. 4 is a transverse section through the control switch, taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 5 is a front elevational View of the switchsupporting plate and its cover, showing the cover in displaced position for exposing the attaching screws which secure the supporting plate to the switchboard panel. Referring to the drawings, the control switch includes an integral supporting frame I that comprises side-frame members 2 and the end portions 3 and 4. Three cut-out spaces 5, 6 and 'I are provided in the frame I as shown in Figs. 2 and .3. A `pair of end plates 8 and 9, of a cupshape arer disposed at the ends of the-frame l. The end-plate 8 may be spot-welded to one end of the frame I or securedthereto in any other suitable manner. 'I'he end plate 9 may Vbe removably attached to the other end of the frame I by means f screws II. Three tumbler-type switches 12,13 and I4 are mounted, as indicated in Fig. 4 upon the frame members 2, the switch I 4 being shown in elevation in Fig. 4 and is representative Qi ,theconstruction of the switches `l2 and I3, with the exception that the switch I4 is of the double-throw type and is provided with two sets of contacts instead of one.

The switch I4 comprises a pressed-metal supporting base l5 having bracketsv I6 that are attached to the `frame members 2 by means of screws Il. The base I5 is of U-shape, and the side plates I8 thereof extend at right angles to the base and are attached to the legs I9 of an insulating member 2| that is of inverted U-shape and nts between the plates IB, to which the member is secured by screws 22. Pairs of contact members 23 and 24 are mounted on opposite sides of the insulating supporting member and are provided with terminal screws 25 for attaching conductors thereto. A bridging roller-contact 26 is mounted for oscillation within the space 21 between the vertical arms of the insulating member, the roller being adapted to bear against an arcuate surface 28 on the insulating member 2 I.

The bridging roller-contact 26 is rotatably mounted upon a switch arm 29 that is bifurcated to provide a slot 3l for receiving a pin 32 carried on the end of an operating arm 33 that is pivotally mounted for movement above a pivot shaft 34 carried by the base I5. The spring 35 on the switch-arm 29 is disposed between a collar 36 on the arm and the -pin 32. When the arm 33 is moved toward the left (Fig. 4), the spring is compressed and, when the pin 32 moves past a center line through the bridging roller-contact 26 and the pivot shaft 34, the end of the switch-arm, carrying the roller-contact, is moved toward the right, with a snap action, into engagement with the pair of contacts 24.

The operating arm 33 is actuated by means of a bail 3l, having a lost-motion connection to the operating arm through outwardly turned ngers 38 on the outer end of the arm, as indicated in Fig. 4. The switch structure just described, with the exception of the lost-motion connection for the operating arm and the operating bail, is well known in the art and forms no part of the invention, and, consequently, further description of the details of its construction are unnecessary.

The switches I2 and I3 are of the single-throw type and are provided with contacts 39 and 4I that are mounted on opposite sides of the insulating support member 2|, as indicated in Fig. 3, the latter contacts being provided with attaching screws 42 and the former with attaching screws 44. It will be Vnoted that the contacts 4I extend across the upper portion of the switch and into a position aligned with the contact 39 where it will be engaged by the bridging roller-contact 45 which serves to conductively connect the contacts 4I and 39 of their respective switches. It will be further noted that the switches I2 and I3 while identical in construction are reversely positioned relatively and consequently are moved to their closed positions respectively by movement of their respective operating arms in opposite directions. The switches I2 and I3 are provided with springs 45 (Fig. 1) that are wound about their pivot shafts 34 and so connected to the base I 5`an'd the operating arm 33 that they'bias the operating arm toward open position and will return the operating arm to the open position after each closing operation thereof.

As indicated in Figs.' l and 2, the operating arms of the switches I2 and I3 are also provided with ngers 38 which provide a lost-motion connection between the operating arm 33 and operating bail 31.

VThe'operatirig bail 31 is rotatively journaled within the bearing openings 41 and 48 in the endplates 8 and 9 and is provided with an operating handle 49.

Assuming that the switches occupy the positions indicated in Figures 2 and 3 wherein the contact roller 25 of the double-throw switch I4 is in engagement with the contacts 24 and that the bridging roller-contacts 4.5 of the switches I2 and VI3 are in their respective open circuit positions,rclockwise rotation of the operating bail 31, viewing Fig. 5, will cause the roller contact 26 to move into engagement with the contacts 23. At this time, because of the lost motion connection of the operating arm 33 to the operating bail 31, no motion will be imparted to the roller contact of the switch I 3, but the contact arm of the switch I2 will be moved by the bail to the closed circuit position which causes movement of the roller contact of that switch into engagement with the contacts 39 and 4I thereof.

- Counter-clockwise movement of the operating handleA 49 reverses the operation just described and returns the roller-contact of the double-v throw switch I4 into engagement with the contacts 24. The roller-contact ofthe switch I3 is, at the same time, momentarily moved into engagement with its respective contacts 39 and 4I.

lIt will be understood that the switches, constituting the'control switch, are connected to the control circuits of the circuit breaker in such manner that when one of the switches I3 or I4 is momentarily closed the circuit breaker controlled thereby is either caused to open or close, as the case may be and that the pilot lamp indicating the position of the circuit breaker is ener- Y gized through the operation of the circuit breaker.

No claim is made to any specific circuits to which the control switch is applicable, and the switch may be used in a large variety of circuits for accomplishing different results.

A flat rectangular attaching plate 51 is secured to the end plate 8 of the control switch and is provided with openings 58, Fig. 4, for receiving attaching screws 59, for the purpose of attaching the control switch to a switchboard panel 60. It will be understood that the panel 60 is provided with a circular opening 6I of slightly larger diameter than that of the cylindrical end-plates, in order to provide space'into which the inner ends of the sections 62 and B3 of the cylindrical cover may be inserted for the purpose of retaining them in assembled position. The cover sections are made of insulating material and when in operative position, constitute a closed cylinder vfor inclosing the switch mechanism and terminals of the control switch. The outer ends of the cover sections 62 and 63 are retained in assembled position upon the control switch by means of screws 64 that are threaded into the end plate 9.

The cover is so made that the upper section 62 may be removed for obtaining access to the terminal screws 25, 42 and 44. The conductors, not shown, enter the switch housings through an opening 65 in the end plate 9.

A face-plate 66 having flanges 61, conforming in contour to the edges of the attaching plate 51, serves to completely cover the plate 51 and the attaching screws .59. The face-plate may be provided with any preferred form of decoration such as is indicated in Fig. 5 and is yieldingly retained in operative position by the operating handle 49, through the medium of a spring 68 which surrounds the operating bail 31, and is disposed between a washer 69 Xed thereon, and the endplate 8. The spring forces the bail toward the left and presses the handle against the faceplate. The bail 31 is mounted in the end walls 8 and 9 for rotary and limited longitudinal movement which permits of longitudinal displacement of the bail and handle toward the right, suicient distance to permit the ange 61 of the plate 66 to clear the edges of the attaching plate 51. The face-plate 66 may be rotated into the position shown in Fig. 5, or other angular positions which permit of access to the attaching screws 59. After the switch has been attached to the panelboard, the face-plate 56 is rotated about the journal or the operating bail 31 until it is snapped into operative position by the movements of the bail 31 toward the left by the spring 68, which normally biases the bail 31 toward the left. Thus a simple form of face-plate is provided which requires no unsightly screws for retaining it in operative position.

It is apparent from the foregoing that I have provided a simple, compact and rugged control switch for controlling circuit breakers and other electrical apparatus that may be readily assembled upon a switchboard panel and which is rendered accessible for connection to the electric conductors associated therewith by simply removing the top cover.

It is further apparent that I have provided a control switch wherein a cover plate, having artistic merit, may be attached to the switchboard without necessitating the use of screws, which, at best, detract from the appearance of the switchboard.

While I have illustrated but one embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, and substitutions, additions and omissions may be made in the apparatus illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. The combination with a switch having a longitudinally displaceable operating bail and a handle secured thereto, a supporting plate for mounting on the front face o-f a switchboard panel, and means operable from the front face of the plate for securing it to the panel, of a cover for the plate, enclosing the front face and edges thereof and covering the securing means, said cover being yieldingly retained in operative position by the handle on the operating bail, Astop means on the bail, and resilient means on the bail between the stop means and the supporting plate for permitting the cover to be displaced in a direction normal to the plane of the plate without removal of the handle to permit of rotary movement of the plate for exposing the securing means.

2. The combination with a switch having a longitudinally displaceable operating bail and a handle secured thereto, a supporting plate for mounting on the front face of a switchboard panel, and means operablefrom the front face of the plate for securing it to the panel, of a cover for the supporting plate, enclosing the front face and edges thereof and covering the securing means and displaceable in a direction normal to the plane of the plate without removal of the handle to permit of rotary movement of the cover for exposing the securing means, stop means on the bail, and means on the bail between the stop means and the supporting plate for yieldingly retaining the cover in operative position by said handle.

3. The combination with a switch having a longitudinally displaceable operating shaft and a handle secured thereto, a supporting plate for mounting on the front face of a switchboard panel, and means operable from the front face of the plate for securing it to the panel, of a flanged cover for the plate for enclosing the exposed portions thereof and for covering the said securing means, stop means on the shaft, resilient means disposed o-n the shaft between the stop means and the supporting plate for yieldingly retaining the cover in operative position by the said handle, the cover being displaceable without removal of the handle for exposing the said securing means.

4. The combination with a switch having a longitudinally displaceable operating shaft and a handle secured thereto, a supporting plate for mounting on the front face yof a switchboard panel, and means operable from the front face of the plate for securing it to the panel, of a cover for the plate for covering the said securing means, stop means on the shaft, a spring disposed on the shaft between the stop means and the supporting plate for yieldingly retaining the cover in operative position by the said handle, the cover being displaceable without removal of the handle for exposing the said securing means, and iiange means on the cover for enclosing the edges of said plate and for preventing lateral displacement of the cover when the latter is in operative position.

5. The combination with a switch having a longitudinally displaceable operating bail and a handle secured thereto, a supporting plate for mounting on the front face of a switchboard panel, and means operable from the front face of the plate for securing it to the panel, of a cover for the supporting plate, enclosing the front face and edges thereof and covering the securing means, said cover being yieldingly retained in operative position by the handle on the operating bail, stop means on the bail, and resilient means disposed on the bail between the stop means and the supporting plate to permit the operating bail to be moved longitudinally through the supporting plate, thereby permitting rotary movement of the cover to expose the securing means for the supporting plate.

ALFRED J. PETERSON. 

